Mlangeni – Isivumelwano

South African photographer Sabelo Mlangeni’s documentary work reflects his conscious choice of themes, subcultures, and minority groups that usually remain invisible. The title of this collection of images, ‘Isivumelwano’, comes from Nguni, a Southern African language group. The word means “contract”, “agreement”, or “alliance”, and here it is synonymous with the marriage ceremonies in Black communities that Mlangeni has documented over nearly 30 years. The series is both a celebration and critique of the relationships we maintain with others. According to Mlangeni, the project magnifies “the systems we exist in (and against)”. Love becomes a force of liberation.